Our Quick Roots In Marlboro County SC

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     Hello cousins! As some of you know, I have been conducting genealogical research for a long time, and to be fair, this work never ends.  There comes a point, when I have to share my findings, and ask for your help.  Just as I have stories about people and events handed down to me from my mother and father, so do you.  We all know there will be variations, but it would be great to have your oral traditions.  Please leave remarks, and send me pictures!!!
     Conducting genealogical research is slow, and at times frustrating.  Until very recently, many studying African American genealogy hit "the" brick wall with the 1870 Federal Census. This census was the first after slavery.  Thankfully, there are many data sets available throughout the country never intended as documents for family research, but serve that exact role, and I'm all over them. Additionally, we now have the benefit of autosomal DNA, which reveals centuries and relationships, and is a gift for family researchers, especially African Americans or adoptees.  I have been compiling stories handed down to me along with a verifiable paper trail, and incorporating DNA results from myself, and 2 of my mother's siblings.  Additionally, I have researched many members of the Brightsville and Smithville communities in Marlboro, SC...free, formerly enslaved, White and in-between.  They are all strangely connected, dependent upon one another in fact, and they have these relationships with the backdrop of an invisible, impenetrable line, you dared not cross.  It is hard to grasp in this modern world.
     Although many data sets are now available online, there are still a plethora of non-indexed sets in a variety of repositories.  Yes, I have been down to the South Carolina State Archives twice, dragging my mother in tow, and yes, my husband and I took a trip down to Marlboro and Scotland Counties, and I did a solo trip to Chester County (for the Archie's.)  I've even been to the Family Research Library in Salt Lake, but you have to go onsite prepared, which I was not.  Do I see future trips? Yes.

Johnson Jones 1850-1906

The "Johnson Jones" reunion is a good place to start, especially since I have been researching in Marlboro.  For cousins of my generation, Johnson Jones was our great-great grandfather.  Johnson was born about 1850 in Brightsville, SC.  He married a Victoria Quick, and their family is only recorded in SC in the 1880 census.  I did speak with our great aunt about Johnson a few months back.  She told me that Johnson lived in Charleston, then moved back to Marlboro after the war.  (I can speculate why, but until I see documentation, I will say nothing.)  We have no records of the 1890 Federal Census because the majority burned at the Commerce Department Building fire in 1921.  The next Federal Census was taken in 1900, and we have Johnson and family living in Scotland County, North Carolina.  Although they had moved by 1910, they remained in Scotland County where Johnson farmed.
Johnson, regrettably, did not leave a huge paper trail (that I have discovered as yet!) We do know however, that he did have a younger sister named Elizabeth, but I cannot locate her after 1880.  Victoria, his wife, however, came from a huge family from Marlboro known as the Quicks.  What a paper trail this family has!  With that said, let me add this.  Johnson's son Sidney also married a Quick, her name was Mary Alice, and of course she was also from Marlboro.  Sidney and 'Alice' had Berkley Jones.  So my story will begin here and go back in time.

Berkley Jones 1909-1968

As we know, Berkley was born to Sidney Jones and Alice Quick on 9 November 1909 in Scotland County, North Carolina.  The family was living in Lower Williamson,  on the Gibson Road.  By 1920, the family was living in Stewartsville, on the road leading from Laurinburg to Hamlet, NC.  Oral tradition shared with me through my mother, Neil, explains that Berkley and Bessie met in Washington, D.C.  The story goes that Berkley was employed as an elevator operator.  When Bessie entered the elevator, he told her he would not let her out until she went out with him.  I am unsure of where their marriage took place.  I have no documentation.  At any rate, they eventually married, and raised 9 children.  My mother also relayed to me that once they were married, Berkley took Bessie down to his family's farm in Scotland Co.  My mother believed Bessie did not want to move to the country, especially after living in DC.  So, now we go to the documents....

The 1930 census establishes Berkley as a resident in Washington DC.  He is living in the household and identified as a nephew of Trussie Sparks.  Berkley's occupation at that time was as a janitor in an apartment building.  Of course, I had never heard of Trussie, but I did notice that another nephew in the household was named "Marlboro." 

Grandpa's house in DC.  Nice digs!

I did a census search on Trussie, and sure enough, he is listed in Smithville, Marlboro, SC in the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census.  If he wasn't a blood relative, there were close ties between families stemming back to the 1800s.

Shortly after 1930, Grandma Bessie and Berkley met. By 1932, they were married and had their first child, Berkley Jones Jr., (Uncle Junior) born in Hamlet, NC which is near Scotland County.  (I said my first sentence to him, had to do with a sandwich.) By 1935, they were living in Salisbury, Rowan County NC.  The 1940 census has the couple with 4 children, and one on the way (my mom!) Berkley at this time was employed as a florist in a greenhouse, and working 65 hours per week. I loved this information because it showed his dedication to providing for his family, and his love of gardening.  My mother told me he always kept a vegetable garden in the back yard, and no one was permitted to touch it (and I am an avid gardener as well.)  Another document surviving at this time is Berkley's WWII draft registration.  He lists his employer as "Marsh Greenhouse."  The family, at this time lived at 23 N. Long St. in East Spencer.

Berkley's WWII draft registration card

Berkley eventually had a career working for the Southern Railways as a boiler operator and retired from that service.  He passed away in Raleigh, NC in 1968. Bessie lived until 1995.
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Mary Alice Quick, was the mother of Berkley.  Our "Aunt Sister" was named after Berkley's mom.  Berkley's mom, our great-grandmother, was born 1879 in Marlboro, SC to Frank L. Quick and Charlotte Smith. The 1880 Federal Census confirms she and her family lived in Smithville, Marlboro Co. Oh, a little tidbit. Mary Alice had a younger brother named Berkley Quick.  That's where grandpa got his name!

1880 Federal Census Smithville, SC
Frank Quick family is 4th from top

Mary Alice, known more commonly as 'Alice,' had 5 children with Sidney Jones. She worked as a domestic, which was typical during that time. Alice passed away from pneumonia in 1920.  She was 38 years old and is buried in Laurinburg, N.C.

Berkley's father, Sidney was a farmer and was born in 1891 in Marlboro County SC to Johnson Jones and Victoria Quick.  After the death of his wife Alice, Sidney remarried.  He died in 1944 from heart disease in Scotland County, NC. I have to mention that one of our cousins named her son after Sidney. 😀 Also, one of Berkley's sisters was Frances Jones.  Hmmm...Aunt Frankie??

Death Certificate for Sidney Jones, Sr. 1944

So now we return to the Quick family.  As stated, "Alice's" father was Frank Quick.  Frank was also a farmer.  Below we have an 1880 Agricultural Census Schedule, which tells us much about Frank's farm.
Frank farmed 27 acres, which he owned.  He had 1 horse, 2 milk cows, 5 pigs, and 10 chickens.  During the year 1879, the farm produced 13 pounds of butter, and they collected 17 dozen eggs.  Frank grew 75 bushels of corn, 10 bushels of oats, 5 bushels of wheat, 6 bushels of peas and 18 bushels of potatoes.

For my next post, I will tell you more about Frank, and introduce our great great great grandfather Campbell "Cam" Quick, and the world of Marlboro. You will also find out about another part of our family, the Driggers.  You will love it, I promise.  I will be exploring voting registrations, Freedmen Records, and records from the Southern Claims Commission...and oh yes, our DNA, and findings from newfound cousins.
Please respond in "comments" and send pics or emails to: mygenealogyblogger@gmail.com

Thanks
Pam
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https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ncmaps/id/267